Centering mechanism for radially-movable car-couplings.



R. D. GALLAGHER, Jn. UENTERING MEGHANISM FOR RADIALLY MOVABLB GAR COUPLINGS.

APPLICATION FILED .TUNE 29,1908.

Patented Mar. 30, 1909.

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N" RMN R'. D.' GALLAGHBR, JB. GENT'ERING MEGHANISM FOR BADIALLY MOVABLE GAB. COUPLINGS.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 29, 1908.

91 6,946 Patented Mar. 30, 1969.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

all whom fit Y. i RICHARD n'eALL-AGHER, .jra.,01 NEwYonn,

sanmartin@ mom Ism" FoR-anmALLY-MQVABL can# 'conrrmf es.'-

' specification of netten Patenti 'Patented Hrh=3o, j1ooe.

application med :une 29,' 190s. serial N. 440,916'.

p Be itzknown that I, R101-Lim) D. GAL- LAlenEn," :Irma citizen of the United States, res1d1nY'g1n the city, lc ounty, yand State of ANew rk, have invented certain new and useful lImprovementsin Centering Meehan- 13m for -Radially-Movabl Car-Couplers and Ifdo thereby .declare 'the following to be a full, clear, g and exact' description of the {f I'O sainereference being had to the ac companying drawings, forming a part of this "specification, and to the figures and letters of reference'marked thereon. .This.'1nvent10n,relates Vto mechanism for,-

4 `returning. a pivtally mounted or radiallyi movable car coupler to its central ori'axial line, the objects of 'the'. invention being to provide an exceedingly simple" but highly e'iicient mechanism vnot liable lto be de-v franged .or-"rendered inoperative `through Y rugh--usagefand which may be applied to various t esof cou' 'lin sand their connec,

tions wit out-*material ateration'. The. lnventi'on conslsts'ln certain novel K'detalls Lof constructlon and combinations- .and arrangements :ofvv arts all of whichy will be hereinafter descril ed andl pointed out particularlyi'nthe appended claims.

' En the 4accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is topv plan view partly in section of a coupler and coupler extension with a center-` mechanlsm 'embodying the present 1mprovenients. Fig. 2 1s a similar view withthe coupler swung to'one. side.v

.nsaid drawings, the cou ler head is indi'- A- cated .by the letter A -andjlts shank-by the `letter B. The'shank is pivotally mounted atrits-.rearv end on a. center pin C,.preferably v'carried inA a centering 'casting D,"n1ounted on or formed as the forward' endof a couplerv extension' D', mounted to slide longitudi-r nelly ini-Bearings E onv thecar frame and adapted to carryf at its rear end'the usual oke F, which asses around'the draft and 45t-5 I jufling springs The centering casting, it is obvious, may

only the 'base or supportfor yc'operation wah the enemigyoke, but als@ is the son; L

nection through which draft' and hurling stralns are 'transmitted from the coupler head to the draft and buflng springs. In

this construction, openings b are formed in the shank B' of the .coupler at each side andy the arms K Aof a centering yoke K project through'the o 'enings [At their ends the' oke arms are ormedwith rounded faces atto coperate with; concaved bearings din the front of the-centering casting at each side of the pivot p The stem K2 of the Acenteringyoke extends forwardly within vthe coupler shank and passesthrough an abutment or bearing B therein, a coiled spring L being' located 4onsaid shank and between` the abutment lB and la shoulder k2 for normallypressin i the 'yoketoward the rear. A retaining be 't M preferably .passes throughv the stem K? and caring B and is made adjustable in length by' ya lock nut m at the rear end, whereby 'the expansion of the sprin may b e limited or overthrow prevented, 'a though in operation the spring is conned between the bearing B Vand centering cast-in through the intermediaryfof the yoke In other words,

thepressure of the spring constantly tends A to force the coupler and itsl shank forwardly and the centering casting rearwardly, 'and as a result of the bearings c being located on opposite sides of the pivot pin C 'any movement of the cou ier to., one side or the other ladvances the yo e withrespect tothe shank,

putting thespring under increased tension, as'indicated in Fig.. 2 lof the accompanying drawings. The tension of the spring beingA exerted against 'abearing ato'ne side of the center pin tends to return the coupler head 'to itsl central position or to a point where' the yoke bears with equal pressure at both sid'eaof the said pin.

Conveniently, the coupling head and drawbar are supported on a carry-iron H, and the latter is rovided with inclined faced stops H at eac end for limiting the transverse or radial movement of the coupler head.

The construction described, it will be noted, is practically selfcontained, in that no additional connections'between the draw bar or coupler shank, and the under framin `of the car are required. When `remove from the car the draw-bar and centering `lyoke come away together and A*do notrequire any separate attaching [means when' replaced. v Y I Having thus l Letters-Patent, is:

' oppositesides of the axis v'and bearingsv 1. ln a centering mechanism for radial couplers, the combination with the pivotally mounted head and draw-bar, of Aa spring pressedlyoke movable longitudinally of thel draw bar 4and bearings for the ends of said yoke located on opposite sides of the laxis on which thehead and draw-bar are pivotally mounted. Y

2. In a centering mechanism for' car couplers, the combination with the head and draw bar pivotally mounted at their inner ends on a'vertic'al axis, of a sprin pressed yoke mounted to move longitudina ly o'l the draw-bar and having its arms yextending on located on opposite sides oi' said axis vwith 'which the arms. of the yoke coperate to increase the tension ofthe spring when the coupler head vis moved transversely.

3. ln a centering'r mechanism for. car couplers, the combination with the vcoupler head and draw-bar pivotally moveV transversely, Vof a centering yoke mounted to move longitudinally of' the draw bar, a spring for moving said yoke rearwardly, and a centering casting having vbearings on opposite sides oi the pivotal -pivotally mounted, a yoke longitudinally movable within the draw bar and having its' ends projected to cooperate with 'the'- mounted tov the combination with the coupler draw bar pivotallyl mounted at described the invention, lwhat I claim as new and desire to-secure by arance centering-casting at opposite sides of the axis, and 'a rearwardly, su stantially asgfdese ribecLv 5. In a centering `mechanim` fot, car couplers, the combination with'the coupler head and hollow draw vbar having trans,- verse openings at its rearend, of'a yoke' 'having arms projecting rearwardly throughA said transverse openings, a' bearing Within ringy for movingl said, yoke the draw bar for the shank vof theyoke, a

spring mounted on the yoke for moving the same rearwardly, anda centering casting with which the draw-bar is. pivotally/connectedhaving bearings on oppositesides of s'aid'pivot for coperat.ionw1th the arms of the yoke.

6. ln a centering mechanismfor car y couplers, lthe combination with the coupler head and a shank, a longitudinally movable rearward extension with which the draw-bar is pivotally connected, a longitudinally movable spring pressed yoke having its' arms embracing. the pivotal connection,

and

bearings with which said arms, cooperate i for returning the drawfbarv and head toA Icentral position.

' n a centering mechanism i'c-.f car i couplers, thel combination with the coupler head and hollow draw-bar, of a cen-H tering casting 'withwhich the lsaid draw bar is` ivotally connected, a longitudinally e yoke mounted in the draw bar, bearings on the vcentering casting with which the rear end' of vthe yoke coperates, a spring for forcing said yoke rearwardly to return thecoupling head to its centralposition, and a bolt extending. longitudinally.V

yoke. for limiting Athe ex ansion through the ofthe spring, substantiallyas descri ed.

RICILRD l). GALLAGHER, JR.

Witnessesf l A. HAMILTON COOKE, ELIZABETH M. URQUHART. 

